Senior Labour figures have called for a far-left journalist dubbed Jeremy Corbyn's 'attack dog' to be thrown out of the party after he condemned the Poppy Appeal as 'racist'.

Aaron Bastani, whose site Novara Media has been key in galvanising youth support among Corbyn's Labour, labelled the Royal British Legion appeal 'grotesque' and called for the charity to be shut down.

His views were quickly denounced by leading Labour figures, including deputy leader Tom Watson, who called the comments 'disrespectful'.

Far-left journalist Aaron Bastani described the annual remembrance scheme 'a joke' in a video posted in the run-up to Armistice Day on Sunday. In response, leading Labour figures have called for Bastani to be thrown out of the party

Among those on the Left to denounce Mr Bastani as 'disrespectful' was deputy Labour leader Tom Watson (shown)

The scathing attack against the Poppy Appeal, which raises millions for military veterans and their loved ones, comes on the centenary anniversary of the First World War which claimed the lives of more than one million Britons.

Bastani described the annual remembrance scheme as 'a joke' in a video posted in the run-up to Armistice Day on Sunday.

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'I think the poppy appeal is grotesque, it has a kind of triumphalist militarism to it. It's racist, right, it's white supremacist.'

Mr Bastani also mocks the Invictus Games, an biennial athletic competition for armed forces veterans set up by Prince Harry, as a 'bizarre PR exercise' for the royal family.

In a tweet posted yesterday, the Left-wing blogger described the poppy appeal as 'absolutely sickening', calling for the money to be spent on the homeless instead.

The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, holds a wreath at the entrance to St Margaret's Church ahead of an Armistice service on Tuesday

He wrote: 'Absolutely sickening that as a country Britain spends £45million on poppies to feel good and help a worthy cause while 13,000 ex-veterans are homeless.

'When was the last time the Royal British Legion challenged the government on homelessness and public services? Joke.'

He added: 'I care about veterans. That's why I think the Royal British legion should be dissolved with it's £300 million of fixed assets redistributed to Britain's 13,000 homeless ex service personnel.

Labour MP John Mann said the blogger 'should be thrown out of the party today' (pictured)

'Surely that makes more sense than the fact it pays more than 24 people 60k a year?'

'We have 66,000 veterans who are homeless, at the cutting edge of the criminal justice system or suffering mental health issues.

'They are fighting the battle of their lives & have no political representation. Remember the dead, fight for the living.'

Guardian columnist Owen Jones rejected calls for Bastani to be ousted from the party. In a series of tweets he replied: 'For what? If we're going to keep Tony Blair in the party even though he's paid millions by murderous dictatorships then I think we can probably find space for someone expressing an opinion.'

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Corbyn 'attack dog' sparks fury with vile comments about poppies and Royal British Legion